Keyword Intent (Search Intent)

Keyword intent, or search intent, is the primary goal a user has when typing a query into a search engine. Search intent is categorized into four buckets: informational (80% of searches), navigational (10%), transactional (10%), and commercial investigation. Targeting the wrong intent is the most common reason content fails to rank. If Google determines a keyword has informational intent, and you try to rank a transactional product page, your page will not rank-period. Meticulously analyzing the SERP for every target keyword is the only way to reverse-engineer Google’s intent classification and ensure content perfectly aligns with what the user, and the algorithm, expects to see.

Keyword Intent Simplified

Keyword intent is the actual reason why someone searched for a specific word. Are they looking to buy something, or are they just looking for information If your website doesn’t match what the person is actually trying to do, Google will not show your page.